Greeks heading to polls confused

Imagine that the fate of your country hangs on a yes-or-no question. The question is drafted in bureaucratic language and asks you to decide on an economic program that no longer exists.

Leaders in neighboring countries want you to vote yes. Your government wants you to vote no.

Now you can understand what it feels like to live in Greece. The country is approaching one of the most important votes in its modern history Sunday — one that could redefine its place in Europe — yet many people acknowledge that they barely have a clue as to what they are voting on.

“No one is saying what will happen to us if we say yes, or what will happen to us if we say no,” said Erika Papamichalopoulou, 27, of Athens.

“If it’s saying ‘no’ to austerity, then it’s a ‘no’ from me, too. But if we are rejecting Europe, I disagree with that,” he said.

Greece is deep into unknown territory. Its banks have been shut. It missed a debt payment to the International Monetary Fund. And without new financial aid, it likely will default on other debts this month.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who called for the referendum, has veered between confrontation with the country’s creditors and conciliatory outreach.

Even as he signaled Wednesday that he’d accept many of the demands made by creditors, he pressed ahead with the referendum and again urged Greeks to reject the proposal containing those demands.

In any case, as a parade of European leaders has pointed out, the proposal that Greeks are voting on is no longer on the table, having been built around the framework of a bailout package that expired at midnight Tuesday.

Confused? Welcome to Greece.

As Greek banks and markets remained closed Friday for a fourth day, rival campaigns scrambled to roll out their messages. And a prediction from the IMF that Greece will need piles of additional cash from eurozone countries and others over the next three years put even more pressure on the government.

“Our efforts are focused on overcoming the crisis as fast as possible — with a solution that preserves the dignity and sovereignty of our people,” Tsipras said.